Process control using non-invasive printed product sensors
First Claim
1. A container apparatus for processing a product, comprising:
- a product containment vial having an interior surface for contacting the product and defining a product containment space in communication with an exterior of the product containment vial via a vial opening; and
a plurality of product condition sensors on the interior surface, the product condition sensors being incrementally spaced from the vial opening for measuring a condition profile of the product within the product containment space, the product condition sensors each comprising metallic particles in a dried ink suspension deposited as at least one strip on a substrate wherein the substrate is a flexible film applied to the interior surface of the product containment vial, and the product condition sensors are interposed between the substrate and the interior surface of the product containment vial.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement for monitoring a freeze drying process includes product condition sensors for product condition measurement within product vials. The product condition sensors are bimetal junctions deposited on a substrate using an ink jet printing process. The substrate may be a flexible film applied to an interior surface of the product vial, or may be the vial surface itself. The bimetal junction may be printed using a roll-roll inkjet printing process with metallic nanoparticle inks. Multiple closely-spaced bi-metal junctions are provided in each measurement vial. Data from the sensors is transmitted to a data collection point via short range wireless digital communications. The location of a sublimation front may be calculated for each measured vial, and the freeze drying process may be controlled using the data.
49 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A container apparatus for processing a product, comprising:
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a product containment vial having an interior surface for contacting the product and defining a product containment space in communication with an exterior of the product containment vial via a vial opening; and a plurality of product condition sensors on the interior surface, the product condition sensors being incrementally spaced from the vial opening for measuring a condition profile of the product within the product containment space, the product condition sensors each comprising metallic particles in a dried ink suspension deposited as at least one strip on a substrate wherein the substrate is a flexible film applied to the interior surface of the product containment vial, and the product condition sensors are interposed between the substrate and the interior surface of the product containment vial. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for preparing a container for measuring a temperature profile in a product contained in the container, comprising:
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directing an ink jet onto a flexible substrate to print strips on the substrate to form a flexible substrate with deposited bimetal thermocouples, the ink jet comprising metallic particles in a liquid suspension; after directing the ink jet onto the flexible substrate, applying the flexible substrate with deposited bimetal thermocouples to an interior surface of the container, the interior surface of the product containment vial being for contacting the product, and the deposited bimetal thermocouples being interposed between the substrate and the interior surface; and electronically connecting the bimetal thermocouples to electronics for measuring the temperature profile. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A system for aseptic processing of a product, comprising:
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a processing chamber including an arrangement for supporting a plurality of product vials; a measurement product vial assembly comprising; a measurement product vial for containing a portion of the product the measurement product vial having an inside surface for contacting the product; a plurality of product condition sensors at a plurality of locations spaced incrementally from an opening of the measurement product vial and attached to the inside surface of the measurement product vial for measuring a condition of the product in the measurement product vial, the product condition sensors comprising first and second metallic strips comprising metal-containing inks printed on a substrate, wherein the substrate is a flexible film applied to the inside surface of the measurement product vial, and the first and second metallic strips being interposed between the flexible film and the inside surface of the measurement product vial; a processor connected for receiving measurements by the product condition sensor and transmitting measurement data via a local wireless network; and a radio frequency energy harvesting board connected for powering the processor using a received wireless powering signal; a radio frequency power transmission system for powering the radio frequency energy harvesting board within the processing chamber via the wireless powering signal; and a wireless communications transceiver configured for communications with the processor via the local wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification